Hand held computer device

• US 20060054704A1
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Conti, Brian V., Fitch, Timothy R., Dobeck, Brian, Hooks, Larry K. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,446,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/472.10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675

Abstract

The invention is a hand held computer device having a housing including a top or upper surface, a lower surface and finger saddle ridge protruding downwardly from the lower surface. The finger saddle ridge has two finger receiving surfaces and is sized to accommodate a pair of human fingers such that a first finger contacts the front surface of the finger saddle and a second finger contacts the rear surface of the finger saddle. When an operator'"'"'s fingers straddle the finger saddle ridge, the hand held computer device pivots about a pivot point defined between the fingers. The device can thus be readily maneuvered into a downward pivoting position, highly useful for decoding bar codes, and an upward pivoting position, highly useful for display viewing and applications involving display viewing such as web browsing and data input.

Claims

1. A hand held computer device, said device comprising:

an upper surface including at least one user interface component positioned thereon, said user interface component selected from the group consisting of a display, a pointer controller, a trigger button for actuating a sensor and a keyboard;

a longitudinal axis;

a lower surface; and

a finger saddle ridge protruding downwardly from said lower surface, said finger saddle ridge having a front surface and a rear surface, said finger saddle ridge being sized to accommodate a pair of first and second adjacent human fingers, such that a first finger contacts a front surface and a second finger contacts said rear surface of said finger saddle ridge.

2. The hand held computer device of claim 1, wherein said at least one user interface component includes a trigger button and a pointer controller, and wherein said pointer controller is positioned on said upper surface rearward of said trigger button.

3. The hand held computer device of claim 1, wherein said finger saddle ridge extends in a generally horizontal direction across said lower surface.

4. The hand held computer device of claim 1, wherein said finger saddle ridge extends in a direction generally transverse to said longitudinal axis.

5. The hand held computer device of claim 1, wherein said front surface of said finger saddle includes a generally U-shaped configuration, so that said front surface conforms to a shape of an operator'"'"'s finger in a relaxed state.

6. The hand held computer device of claim 1, wherein said rear surface of said finger saddle ridge includes a generally U-shaped configuration, so that said rear surface conforms to a shape of an operator'"'"'s finger in a relaxed state.

7. The hand held computer device of claim 1, wherein said front and rear surfaces of said finger saddle ridge includes a generally U-shaped configuration, so that said front and rear surfaces conform to a shape of an operator'"'"'s finger in a relaxed state.

8. The hand held computer device of claim 1, wherein said device further includes an auxiliary finger saddle ridge disposed rearward of said finger saddle ridge, said auxiliary finger saddle ridge including a generally U-shaped configuration extending in a direction generally parallel to said longitudinal axis.

9. The hand held computer device of claim 1, wherein said finger saddle ridge is detachably attached to said lower surface.

19. The portable data collection device of claim 1, wherein said first finger saddle and said second finger saddle each have a generally u-shaped configuration extending in a direction generally parallel to said longitudinal axis.

20. The portable data collection device of claim 1, wherein said first finger saddle is positioned on said lower surface in a position generally opposite of said trigger button disposed on said upper surface.

21. The portable data collection device of claim 1, wherein said second finger saddle is positioned on said lower surface at a position generally opposite said keyboard disposed on said upper surface.

10. A method for operating a hand held computer device, said hand held computer device having an upper surface including a trigger button, a lower surface, a longitudinal axis, and an imaging axis generally parallel with said longitudinal axis, said device configured to capture an image when said trigger button is actuated, said method including the steps of:

positioning on said lower surface a finger saddle ridge, said finger saddle ridge encouraging an operator to straddle said formation with a pair of fingers, said finger saddle ridge being positioned in a complementary manner with a weighting of said device so that said device is balanced upon said pair of fingers when said pair of fingers straddle said formation, wherein said device includes a ridge axis extending through said finger saddle ridge perpendicularly with respect to said longitudinal axis;

while said device is balanced upon said pair of fingers, imparting with a thumb a downward force on said upper surface at a point forward of said formation axis to pivot said device in a downward oriented position such that said longitudinal axis extends downward with respect to a horizontal axis;

actuating said trigger to capture an image positioned on a horizontal surface; and

imparting with a thumb a downward force on said upper surface at a point rearward of said ridge axis, to pivot said device upward from said downward oriented position.

11. A method for improving ease of use of a hand held computer device having a housing including an upper surface carrying a trigger button and a lower surface, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing finger saddle ridge, said finger saddle ridge being generally elongated and being of such size as to be capable of being straddled between two average sized adult fingers, said finger saddle ridge being manufactured as a component part separate from said housing; and

(b) attaching said finger saddle ridge onto said lower surface so that said finger saddle ridge extends generally horizontally across said lower surface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said attaching step includes the step of attaching said finger saddle ridge generally opposite said trigger button.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said attaching step includes the step of ultrasonically welding said finger saddle ridge onto said lower surface.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said attaching step includes the step of screwing said finger saddle ridge onto said lower surface.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said attaching step includes the step of adhesively bonding said finger saddle ridge onto said lower surface.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said attaching step includes the step of adhesively bonding said finger saddle ridge onto said lower surface using double stick tape.

17. The method of claim 11, further including the step of adjusting a weight of said device so that said finger saddle ridge is positioned at a point of balance of said device.

18. A portable data collection device configured to be held in a hand of an operator, said portable data collection device comprising:

an imaging assembly;

a control circuit coupled to said imaging assembly;

a housing having an upper surface and a lower surface and a longitudinal axis, said housing encapsulating said imaging assembly and said control circuit;

a trigger button disposed at said upper surface, wherein said portable data collection device is configured so that control circuit captures electronic image data when said trigger button is actuated;

a keyboard disposed at said upper surface adjacent said trigger button;

a first finger saddle disposed at said lower surface, said first finger saddle having a surface for receiving an operator index finger while said operator holds said device in a first grasping position;

a second finger saddle disposed at said lower surface, said second finger saddle having a surface for receiving an operator index finger while said operator holds said device in a second grasping position;

wherein said first finger saddle is positioned more proximate said trigger button than said keyboard; and

wherein said second finger saddle is positioned more proximate said keyboard than said trigger button.

22. A portable data collection device comprising:

a sensor having an output that varies depending on an orientation of said device;

a control circuit coupled to said sensor;

a housing having a longitudinal axis encapsulating said sensor and said control circuit, said housing further having an upper surface and a lower surface;

a trigger button disposed on said upper surface, said portable data collection device being configured so that said sensor is actuated when said trigger button is depressed;

a finger saddle ridge disposed on said lower surface and being of such shape and size as to be capable of being straddled between first and second fingers of a human hand so that upward movement of said second finger relative to said first finger pivots said device to change an output of said sensor.

23. The portable data collection device of claim 22, wherein said finger saddle ridge is arcuate.

24. The portable data collection device of claim 22, wherein said finger saddle ridge extends generally horizontally across said lower surface.

25. The portable data collection device of claim 22, wherein said sensor is provided by an imaging assembly.

26. The portable data collection device of claim 22 further having a touch screen disposed on said upper surface.

27. The portable data collection device of claim 22, wherein said finger saddle ridge has a ridge axis, and wherein said finger saddle ridge is disposed on said device in such position that said ridge axis intersects said trigger button.

28. A portable data collection device comprising:

a hand held housing having a longitudinal axis, an upper surface and a lower surface;

a touch screen disposed on said upper surface;

a finger saddle disposed on said lower surface having a U shaped configuration extending in a direction generally parallel to said longitudinal axis so as to conform to a shape of an index finger in a relaxed state;

a virtual trigger button displayed on said display at a position on said touch screen generally opposite said finger saddle so that when an operator'"'"'s index finger is received by said finger saddle, a thumb of said operator is positioned proximate said trigger button and generally opposing said index finger.

29. The portable data collection device of claim 28, wherein said finger saddle is provided by a finger saddle ridge having a front surface receiving an index finger of an operator and a rear surface receiving a middle finger of an operator.

30. The portable data collection device of claim 28, wherein said touch screen comprises a display in combination with a touch screen overlay.

31. A hand held computer device comprising:

a hand held housing having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a longitudinal axis;

at least one user interface disposed on said upper surface, said at least one user interface selected from the group consisting of a touch screen, a trigger button, a pointer controller, and a keyboard;

a finger saddle ridge protruding downwardly from said lower surface and extending in a direction generally transverse to said longitudinal axis, said finger saddle ridge having a front surface adapted to receive an index finger of an operator and a rear surface adapted to receive a middle finger of said operator so that forward slippage of said hand held housing is limited by contact of said index finger with said front surface and further so that rearward slippage of said hand held housing is limited by contact of said middle finger with said rear surface of said finger saddle ridge.

32. The hand held computer device of claim 31, wherein said finger saddle ridge is adapted to be detachably attached to a major body of said housing.

33. The hand held computer device of claim 31, wherein said finger saddle ridge is arcuate.

34. The hand held computer device of claim 31, wherein said front surface has a generally U shaped configuration in a direction generally parallel to said longitudinal axis so that said front surface conforms to a shape of said index finger in a relaxed state.

35. The hand held computer device of claim 31, wherein said rear surface has a generally U shaped configuration in a direction generally parallel to said longitudinal axis so that said rear surface conforms to a shape of said middle finger in a relaxed state.

36. The hand held housing of claim 31, wherein said at least one user interface is a trigger button, wherein said trigger button is positioned on said upper surface generally opposite said finger saddle ridge.

37. The hand held computer device of claim 31, further comprising a first circuit board disposed within said housing and carrying electrical components and having at least one ground contact, said hand held computer device further having can frame of unitary construction, said can frame disposed over said circuit board and extending lengthwise and widthwise within said housing so that a perimeter of said can frame substantially throughout its length is in contact or near contact relation with interior walls of said housing, said can frame having a bottom and sidewalls extending transversely relative to said bottom to define a hollow interior for accommodation of said electrical components, said sidewalls terminating in a rim that contacts said at least one ground contact, said can frame further having at least one internal wall increasing structural integrity of said can frame, said can frame further having a structural support member defined thereon for supporting at least one of an imaging module, a second circuit board, a radio assembly, and a battery pack, said can frame further having an aperture accommodating electrical wiring extending from a first side of said can frame to a second side of said can frame.

38. The hand held computer device of claim 31, wherein said aperture has a perimeter entirely delimited by said can frame.

39. A portable computer comprising:

a control circuit;

a hand held housing having a longitudinal axis encapsulating said control circuit, said housing further having an upper surface and a lower surface;

a user interface disposed on said upper surface;

a line disposed on said lower surface for locating a finger of an operator, said line extending generally horizontally across said lower surface, said line being disposed on said lower surface generally opposite said user interface.

40. The portable computer of claim 39, wherein said line comprises printed matter.

41. The portable computer of claim 39, wherein said line comprises a tactile surface enabling said line to be felt by an operator when contacted.

42. The portable computer of claim 39, wherein said user interface is selected from the group consisting of a touch screen, a trigger button for actuating a sensor, a pointer controller, and a keyboard.

43. The portable computer of claim 39, further comprising a sensor, wherein said user interface is provided by a trigger button which when depressed actuates said sensor.

44. The portable computer of claim 39, further comprising a sensor and a touch screen, wherein said user interface is provided by a virtual trigger button displayed on said touch screen, said computer being configured so that said sensor is actuated when said virtual trigger button is depressed.